Hostilities were renewed at the Etihad Stadium as Manchester City fell to Liverpool for the second time this season. So often a game that carries title implications for both sides, it was the visitors who had everything to play for on this occasion, knowing that a win would enable them to strengthen their grip on top spot in the Premier League by extending their lead over Arsenal to 11 points.
The previous meeting between the teams saw Arne Slot’s men cruise to a 2-0 victory in one of the most one-sided displays in recent memories between the two giants and was one of the earliest signs of City’s dramatic decline this campaign. And they got off to an equally dominant start, as Mohamed Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai profited from some toothless defending to give the visitors a two-goal advantage that the hosts could never recover from.
One man who didn’t feature was Darwin Nunez, who was left on the bench for the entire 90 minutes following his manager’s criticism of him in midweek. However, footage of him after the game has gone viral, with his interaction with the away supporters telling of his current situation.
Nunez Serenaded by Singing Liverpool Fans
As can be seen in the footage above, Nunez was taken through his paces alongside the rest of Liverpool’s unused substitutes, who engaged in a warm-down session on the Etihad pitch in front of the Liverpool faithful. And after a week where Nunez was forced to come out and reiterate his desire to help his team in their title race, he was shown love from the away end, who chanted his name as he approached them.
In response, the Uruguayan could be seen tapping the badge on his shirt in appreciation while applauding the fans for their support in a heartwarming moment.
While many have been critical of the 25-year-old’s inconsistency in front of goal since he first moved to Anfield in 2022, the spotlight on him has been amplified even further following his open-goal miss against Aston Villa. The former Benfica man had a golden opportunity to give his side the three points at Villa Park, but with the goal gaping he ballooned his effort over the bar.
While the miss was bad enough in itself, the striker was also given flack for not applauding the travelling fans after the full-time whistle with his Liverpool teammates, as he could be seen walking down the tunnel on his own. It appears as though any ill-will this caused may be water under the bridge now, with the love between the fans and the player on full display after the season-defining win.
